NEAR THE END? - Baptist Bible Tribune

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from the editorOn the TableBy Keith BasshamMisinformation or exaggeration?Have you heard? The days ofChristianity are over accordingto some recent news storiesand headlines appearingin the secular press. Dig a little deeperthough and you will find the declarations(or what Mark Twain referred toas an exaggeration when news of hisdeath were being circulated in the 19thcentury) based upon an amazing datasetof contradictions and a good deal ofwishful thinking on the part of secularistseverywhere.For instance, take the battle oversame-sex marriage in this country. Somenew states have joined the pro side thepast 12 months by way of state legislaturesrather than by court adjudication,albeit with very slim margins and vetooverriding. The current US administration’sagenda is far less friendly to conservativeevangelicals than either Mr.Bush’s or Mr. Clinton’s. One could saythat the culture war is winding downwith the other guys winning.Or is it? Some recent Gallup pollingshows that since 2004, people have becomemore conservative on their viewsof abortion and same-sex marriage, andespecially so in the number of peopleidentifying themselves as prolife. In anonline analysis, Gallup’s Lydia Saadsaid, “…the results are conspicuouslyincongruous with the results of the 2008elections, in which the Democratic Partywon the White House for the first timein eight years.” (www.gallup.com underPolitics and Government tab)In this issue, I take a brief look atsome of this conflicting data and reportingin the cover article, “Christianity:Near the End?” I suggest following upusing the resources I point to in the articlefor a more complete view of the issue.And I will revisit the subject in themonths to come.Also in this issue, we have invitedformer editor Jim Combs to submit anotherpractical article. Mr. Combs continuesto delight and challenge with hiscreative pen. Any of his articles could betaken directly to the pulpit or teacher’spodium with confidence in his logic andpresentation. He is a treasure both tothe Fellowship and to the Tribune, havingbeen with the BBFI since its inception.Our newer readers should knowthat Mr. Combs was the Tribune editorduring the 1980s and ‘90s, and he wasthe one who changed the format from anewspaper to a magazine. So much ofwhat we do now is based upon what hedid then.Speaking of now and then, thisis the last issue of the current volume,number 59. Our next magazine will bethe first in our 60th year, and we prayit will be our best ever. Long story short— our days may be numbered, but if so,only by God, magazine headlines notwithstanding.Here is one of the best Fourth of Julystories I have heard this year, and it wasreported in several news stories in theRochester (NH) Times.When the Rochester, New Hampshire,Jaycees disbanded earlier in theyear, one result was the local fairgroundassociation was left without a partner forthe annual Fourth of July fireworks andcelebration. Mark Perry, Rochester FairGeneral Manager told a local newspaper,“This is really a year when we needthis event,” noting the economic pinch.Sensing an outreach opportunityand a way to serve their community,Rob Willis and Journey Baptist Churchstepped up to fill the gap with fundingand volunteers for the community eventthat did take place July 3.The church underwrote the $15,000expense, arranged for Christian musicfor entertainment, provided about 130volunteers, and accepted canned fooddonations in lieu of admission expense.Perry and the community were appreciative.“I am very pleased. It wasthe biggest crowd in memory, and theyhandled it well. This is one of the nicestgroups I have ever worked with. Theywere extremely happy, even parkingcars and emptying garbage cans, and atthe end of the night they left the groundsspectacularly clean,” said Perry.About 10,000 people attended anddonated two tons of food to a local foodpantry during the event. Pantry coordinatorAnne Ackerman said of the donatedfood, “This makes a huge difference. Itwill help us through the summer monthsuntil we do a food drive in the fall. [TheJourney Church] did really well. And tomake the fireworks free in this economywas wonderful.”Rob Willis is a graduate of BaptistBible College in Springfield, Missouri,and The Journey Baptist Church is thefruit of a mission project of Granite StateBaptist Church in Salem, New Hampshire,where Anthony Milas is pastor.All our pastors and workers, and anychurch members who are able, shouldplan to attend the Fall BBFI NationalMeeting hosted by Pastor Mike Frazierand the Canton Baptist Temple. We arepublishing information in this and thenext issue, and I encourage you to visitthe meeting website, www.bbficanton09.org, to register and to have all the informationyou need to plan your trip. CantonBaptist Temple is a historic churchin our Fellowship, and Pastor Frazierand the church are doing all they can tomake this meeting extra special.Plan to attend!4 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

DigressionsDigressions incontestibly are the sunshine; they are the life, the soul of reading.-Laurence SterneWebsite offers conservativereviews on filmsChristian Film News.com is anonprofit ministry of Filmsfor Christ (founded in 1959) thatprovides a Christian perspective onthe news from Hollywood as wellas the latest movies and games.Source: www.christianfilmnews.comOne in six Americans are Baptist17.2% of total U.S. adult population are Baptists6.7% Southern BaptistConvention1.8% National BaptistConvention1.2% American Baptist Church7.5% Other BaptistSource: Pew Research Center, www.pewforum.orgPieces of world’s oldest surviving Bible come together onlinecollection of 800 pages and fragments from theA work known as the Codex Sinaiticus are now all inone place and available to be viewed online at www.codexsinaiticus.org. Parts of the collection had beenstored in four locations around the world for morethan 150 years since it was discovered at the Monasteryof Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai by Germanscholar Constantine Tishchendorf.“If you would have liked to see it before youwould have had to travel to four countries in twocontinents. If you want to see the manuscript right nowall you have to do is go online and experience it foryourself.” says Juan Garces, the Codex Sinaiticus projectmanager. The British Library purchased 347 pagesfrom the Soviet Union in 1933, 43 pages are heldby the University Library in Leipzig, Germany, and theNational Library of Russia in St. Petersburg containssix fragments. The remaining 12 pages and fragmentswere discovered in a hidden room at the Mount Sinaimonastery in 1975.The manuscript, written in Greek, is believed tobe around 1,600 years old and contains the completeNew Testament but is missing parts of the Old Testament andthe Apocrypha. Most of the portion from Genesis to I Chroniclesis missing and is presumed to be lost. Animal-skin pagesthat are 15” x 13.5” account for more than 400 pages of themanuscript, which scholars now believe was written by four differentpenmen.Source: Associated Press, by Nardine Saad,Associated Press Writer, July 6, 20096 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

President Obama hosts Gay Pride celebrants, snubs Day of PrayerPresident Obama became the firstchief executive to host a WhiteHouse ceremony celebrating “gaypride” Monday, telling several hundredhomosexual guests in the EastRoom that America still has what hecalled “old attitudes” about homosexualitybut that they have “an allyand a champion” in the Oval Office.The June 29 ceremony markedthe 40th anniversary of the StonewallRiots — which launched the modernday“gay rights” movement — andalso Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, TransgenderPride Month, which takes placeeach June and which was recognizedby an Obama proclamation at thebeginning of the month.Conservative commentators werequick to note that the White Houseceremony came only a month anda half after Obama chose not toWorldwide numbers of internallydisplaced persons26 million total14.4 millionunder U.N. care in 200813.7 millionunder U.N. care in 200716 millionrefugees and asylum seekersSource: United Nations via Al Jazeera50 years ago...in the Baptist Bible Tribunehost — as was a custom under theBush administration — a White Houseevent commemorating the NationalDay of Prayer.Monday’s event was historic;even though former President Clintonsigned “Gay Pride Month” proclamations,he never hosted a White Houseceremony celebrating it.Source: ©2009 Copyright Baptist Press, byMichael Foust, June 30, 2009.Vatican officials temperpope’s interpretation ofevidence from what isbelived to be the tombof Paul the ApostleWhen Pope Benedict XVI announcedthat a probe insertedthrough a small hole in the tombbelieved to be that of the ApostlePaul revealed pieces of puple andblue material, incense grains andsmall fragments of bone that werecarbon dated to the appropriate age,he followed it up by saying “Thisseems to confirm the unanimous anduncontested tradition that these arethe mortal remainsof Paulthe apostle.”Now, thePaul was herehead of theVatican Museum’sdiagnosticlaboratorywants to makesure that he’son the recordas saying that the analysisof the materials “does not confirm orexclude” that the relics in the tombbelong to the Apostle Paul.Vatican archaeologists uncoveredthe tomb in 2006 in a crypt underthe basilica and said at the time thatthe fact that it was positioned exactlyunderneath the epigraph ‘PauloApostolo Mart’ (Paul the Apostle andMartyr) at the base of the cathedral’smain altar was conclusive proof thatit was the apostle’s sarcophagus.Source: www.ansa.it, July 3, 2009.Story appeared in the July 24, 1959 edition of the Tribune.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 7

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Christianity:near the end?By Keith Bassham“… a cousin of mine was seriously ill two or three weeks ago in London, but is well now. Thereport of my illness grew out of his illness. The report of my death was an exaggeration.”Mark Twain, in a note to an inquiring reporter, May, 1897Back around Easter, Editor JonMeacham of Newsweek authoreda cover piece with the title “TheEnd of Christian America.” One thingis certain — Mr. Meacham knowshow not to bury the lead. (Pardon myexcursus here, but “burying the lead”is journalism jargon for what happenswhen the main point of an article isnowhere to be found in the first fewsentences. One of my jobs as an editoris to “unbury” leads when I rewritenews submissions.) You can read theentire well-written article on theNewsweek website.The article, and the stark presentation(the cover that issue carriedthe headline, “The Decline and Fall ofChristian America” in red letters forminga cross against a black background)was an eye-catcher, published as itwas nearly on the heels of a spate ofanti-Christian bestselling books. Thosebooks, written by Richard Dawkins(The God Delusion), Christopher Hitchens(God Is Not Great: How ReligionPoisons Everything), Sam Harris (Letterto a Christian Nation), and otherslesser known, postulate that faith in allforms is an enemy that must not onlybe discouraged but wiped out. And itappeared that Mr. Meacham was aboutto declare their victory was in sight.That is not the case, of course, and itwas not even what Meacham had inmind as it turns out.What stirred the muse behind theNewsweek article was a line burieddeep within a religious survey:According to the AmericanReligious Identification Survey…,the percentage of self-identifiedChristians has fallen 10 percentagepoints since 1990, from 86 to76 percent. The Jewish populationis 1.2 percent; the Muslim, 0.6percent. A separate Pew Forum pollechoed the ARIS finding, reportingthat the percentage of people whosay they are unaffiliated with anyparticular faith has doubled inrecent years, to 16 percent; in termsof voting, this group grew from 5percent in 1988 to 12 percent in2008 —roughly the same percentageof the electorate as African-Americans. (Seventy-five percentof unaffiliated voters chose BarackObama, a Christian.) Meanwhile,the number of people willing todescribe themselves as atheist oragnostic has increased about fourfoldfrom 1990 to 2009, from1 million to about 3.6 million.On the surface, if you add the empiricaldata to current anecdotal doomand gloom, stir in the wishes of theDawkinses and Harrises, and extrapolatefar enough into the future, I cansee how some might think the obituaryof Christianity is nearly ready for proofing.But read Mr. Meacham’s piece alittle further:Let’s be clear: while thepercentage of Christians may beshrinking, rumors of the death ofChristianity are greatly exaggerated.Being less Christian does notnecessarily mean that America ispost-Christian. A third of Americanssay they are born again; thisfigure, along with the decline ofpolitically moderate-to liberalmainline Protestants, led the ARIS10 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

authors to note that “these trends …suggest a movement towards moreconservative beliefs and particularlyto a more ‘evangelical’ outlookamong Christians.” With risingnumbers of Hispanic immigrantsbolstering the Roman CatholicChurch in America, and given thepopularity of Pentecostalism, arapidly growing Christian milieuin the United States and globally,there is no doubt that the nationremains vibrantly religious — farmore so, for instance, than Europe.And that is a puzzle to many.Sociologically, we should not be here.Christianity, and certainly the streamof Christianity represented by theBaptist Bible Fellowship, should havedisappeared long ago.John Micklethwait and AdrianWooldridge have authored a book, GodIs Back. Micklethwait is editor in chiefof The Economist, and Wooldridge is itsWashington Bureau chief. Their thesisis that the death of God continues to bea great exaggeration. They write:Prophets have been predictingthe death of God for generations.… In the early eighteenth century[Thomas] Woolston predicted, withthe self-confidence that seems tobe God’s gift to certain types ofEnglish polemicists, that Christianitywould be entirely expunged by1900. Half a century later, Frederickthe Great wrote to his friendVoltaire to say that Woolston hadbeen too pessimistic: religion “iscrumbling of itself, and its fall willbe but the more rapid.” Voltairereplied that its end could be in thenext fifty years. In 1882 FriedrichNietzche insisted that God wasalready done for. “God is dead. Godremains dead. We have killed him.”(God Is Back, p. 32)Here in this country, after theScopes Trial, or the so-called MonkeyTrial of 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee,you and I, or those who believed as youand I do — that the Hebrew and Greekscriptures translated into English giveus a true and accurate account of a Godwho created the universe, of a God whonow sustains that same creation, andwho is in the process of making thingsright through the death and resurrectionof His Son — those who believesuch things, and those beliefs themselves,should be extinct by now.Each new surge of technologyseemed to make God obsolete, or todrive Him further away from the mindsof people. The Russian cosmonaut YuriGagarin, the world’s first person inspace, is said to have reported he didnot see God there (Gagarin probablydid not say it. There is some evidencethat Nikita Khrushchev made thestatement about Gagarin, and forpropaganda purposes it sounded bettercoming from Gagarin).C. S. Lewis had something to sayabout that by the way. He wrote, “Tosome, God is discoverable everywhere;to others, nowhere. Those who do notfind him on earth are unlikely to findHim in space.… But send a saint up ina spaceship and he’ll find God in spaceas he found God on earth. Much dependson the seeing eye.” (“The SeeingEye,” Christian Reflections, p. 171)Blinded to God, the humanisthope was that all religion, and especiallyChristian religion, would be afootnote in history in the 21st century.But religion, far from being a footnote,is almost daily in the headlines — inMiddle East conflicts, in Europeansociety (in France they are authoringlegislation regarding headscarves), andeven in China, where a couple of yearsago a Chinese economist converted toChristianity after concluding that freemarkets and Christianity go hand inBaptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 11

hand. In our own country, religious discussionfinds its way into every politicalcontest (who can forget then-presidential-candidateBarack Obama in the2008 campaign disdainfully referring toworking class people who “cling to gunsor religion”).And whatever Mr. Obama wastrying to say (he later attempted toexplain the comment), the secularistsdon’t like it that we are not yet extinct.We especially, some of the most conservativeChristians among the evangelicals,and all our language and messageand witness, should have been goneand out of their hair a long time ago.And yet here we are.Micklethwait and Woolridge observedthe same in their studies:There are two particularlyupsetting things about the way thatreligion is prospering. The first isthat the “wrong sorts” of religionare flourishing. In the 1960s mostthinkers imagined that, if religionwas to survive at all, it would be inits most reasonable and ecumenicalguise — mild Anglicanism, say, orGraham Greene’s doubting Catholicism.In fact, certainty has provedmuch easier to market; the sort ofreligions that claim Adam and Evemet exactly 6,005 years ago or thattake a particularly strict interpretationof jihad. In the Americathe tolerant-to-a-fault EpiscopalChurch has been in relentlessdecline. By contrast, the SouthernBaptists have prospered. Altogetherconservative Christians now makeup a quarter of America’s population,according to Pew [ResearchCenter], significantly more thanfifty years ago. People who seekliberation from liberation do notturn to liberation theology. (God IsBack, p. 17)Just as Mr. Meacham was quick topoint out that he was not pushing thedeath of Christianity, I must also saythat the ARIS data showing a declinein self-identifying Christians, therecent victories among the gay activists,and the current political balanceof power should be cause for concern.I am glad of the observations recordedin God Is Back, but we are a long wayfrom running victory laps.So, what should be our response toour current situation?First, just as the financial worldfinds it helpful to publicize “greenshoots,” or good news about the economy,consider some fairly prominentatheists who have recently changedteams. British biographer A.N. Wilsoncomes to mind, because he wrote an enjoyableapologetic published in a majorBritish newspaper about the time theNewsweek article appeared. Wilson hada childhood faith which he forsook atthe age of 30, and he describes both hisdeparture and return. Of his turn tosecularism he writes:Like many people who lostfaith, I felt anger with myself forhaving been ‘conned’ by such astory. I began to rail against Christianity,and wrote a book, entitledJesus, which endeavoured to establishthat he had been no more thana messianic prophet who had welland truly failed, and died.Why did I, along with so manyothers, become so dismissive ofChristianity?Like most educated people inBritain and Northern Europe (Iwas born in 1950), I have grown upin a culture that is overwhelminglysecular and anti-religious. The universities,broadcasters and mediagenerally are not merely non-religious,they are positively anti.To my shame, I believe it wasthis that made me lose faith andheart in my youth. It felt so uncoolto be religious.And his description of a renewedfaith is just as frank:My own return to faith hassurprised no one more than myself.Why did I return to it? Partially,perhaps it is no more than the confidenceI have gained with age.Rather than being cowed bythem, I relish the notion that, by assertinga belief in the risen Christ,I am defying all the liberal cleverclogson the block: cutting-edgenovelists …; foul-mouthed, selfsatisfiedTV presenters …; and thesmug, tieless architects of so muchtelevision output.But there is more to it thanthat. My belief has come aboutin large measure because of thelives and examples of people Ihave known — not the famous, notsaints, but friends and relationswho have lived, and faced death, in12 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

the light of the Resurrection story,or in the quiet acceptance that theyhave a future after they die.And then there are those furtherafield who are connecting the dotsspiritually in unexpected ways. Followingthe steps of Alexis de Tocqueville(Democracy in America) nearly twocenturies ago, Chinese economistZhao Xiao saw and wrote about themoral basis of democracy and marketeconomies. His conclusion was that thepresence of churches in America (seea complete story about Zhao Xiao andhis conclusions at www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/china_705/interview/xiao.html) was directly related to thecountry’s success. Though he was not abeliever, he authored a widely quotedpaper called “Market Economies WithChurches and Market Economies WithoutChurches.” In an interview withPBS’s Frontline, he said that he beganwithout an inclination toward Christianity,but his experience with churchesaffected him.From this point, I started tostudy the Bible. But my initialmotivation for studying the Bibleis not really pure. My purpose forstudying the Bible was not to provethat there was a God. I wanted tolook for proof against the existenceof God. The reasons are simple.First of all, I believed that I’m notreally a good person. I felt that Ihad a lot of bad thoughts and dida lot of bad things. So if there wasa God, whatever bad thoughts Ihad, he would know; whatever badthings I did, he would know. Tome, this is too insecure, so I wouldrather not have a God. So this washow I studied the Bible: I wantedto prove that it was a good book butthat there was no truth to it.But after reading it for overthree months, I admitted defeat. Idiscovered that this kind of bookChina does not have. China doeshave morality books. …. But Chinadoes not have a book like the Bible.“It is up to usThe Bible is a book that claimsinspiration from the will of God. Ittalks about the history of the relationshipbetween God and humanbeings, and this kind of book doesnot exist in China.Xiao is right of course. His articlereferences the Puritans who colonizedthe American Northeast and laid moralfoundations that still hold, if they aresomewhat repressed by the descendantsof those same Puritans. I wonderwhen I read articles and books writtenby men like Christopher Hitchenswho authored God Is Not Great: HowReligion Poisons Everything. The foundingdocuments of the United States,the universities, the hospitals — allare the results of “poison” religion. Thegreat anti-slavery movement and thecivil rights movements had religious,even Christian, roots. The God Is Backauthors say, those movements were“both religious at heart, led by religiouspeople, nurtured in churches, justifiedin religious language.”These reasons may or may not confoundthe enemies of Christianity, butremember Mr. Wilson’s characterizationof himself when he was outside thefaith: It was not reason that took him tothe far country, rather “it felt so uncoolto be religious.”We are led where we want to beled. But that attitude is something wecan work with in a country like ourswhen we apply the Baptist principles ofsoul competence and religious liberty.It is up to us to declare and live out thegospel persuasively, and to do a betterjob of it than our detractors can undo.We do not head for the hills and awayfrom the threat.When Al Mohler, president ofSouthern Baptist Theological Seminary,became aware of the data promptingMr. Meacham’s article, he wrote in hisblog, “Our proper Christian responseto this new challenge is not gloom, butconcern. And our first concern must beto declare and live outthe gospel persuasively,and to do a betterjob of it than ourdetractors can undo.”to see that the Gospel is preached asGood News to the perishing — includingall those in post-Christian America.”A. N. Wilson closed his testimonialarticle with a strong statement to thateffect. He wrote:Sadly, they have all but acceptedthat only stupid people actuallybelieve in Christianity, andthat the few intelligent people leftin the churches are there only forthe music or believe it all in somesymbolic or contorted way which,when examined, turns out not to bebelief after all.As a matter of fact, I am surethe opposite is the case and thatmaterialist atheism is not merelyan arid creed, but totally irrational.Materialist atheism says weare just a collection of chemicals.It has no answer whatsoever tothe question of how we should becapable of love or heroism or poetryif we are simply animated pieces ofmeat.The Resurrection, whichproclaims that matter and spiritare mysteriously conjoined, is theultimate key to who we are. It confrontsus with an extraordinarilyhaunting story.J. S. Bach believed the story,and set it to music. Most of thegreatest writers and thinkers of thepast 1,500 years have believed it.But an even stronger argumentis the way that Christian faithtransforms individual lives — thelives of the men and women withwhom you mingle on a daily basis,the man, woman or child next toyou in church tomorrow morning.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 13

Introductory note by Keith BasshamA few years ago, Chuck Ford, chairman ofthe Alabama/Northwest Florida BBF, invitedme to speak at a fellowship meeting inhis state. Among the gentlemen I met duringthat week was one Ira Walton, pastorof Crenshaw Community Baptist Church ofLuverne, Alabama.Ira is a black man, a former Marine,and at the time he was a bi-vocational pastor.He and his family were charming. Hiswife prepared an excellent meal for us, andthe dinner table provided an opportunityfor one of the most educational encounters Ihave had when it comes to matters of Christianityand race.It turns out Ira and I share an enthusiasmfor, how shall I say it — for self-expression— which means I did not have tospend a lot of time sizing him up, and thatevening we began forming bonds of friendship.His experience, temperament, vision,and dedication to the hard and honest workof church building is more than enough tocommend him, but I was concerned that Iraand some of his brother preachers wouldfind it hard-going in our Fellowship.I regret I have to say these things, but toborrow a phrase given me by Charles Lyons,there is a difference between inviting andwelcoming people who are different fromourselves. This is true whether the differenceis cultural, generational, methodological,geographical, or racial, and our Fellowshiphistory is strewn with examples of this resistanceto the new or different.Mind you, we generally get around todoing the right thing, but it is not alwaysthe first thing we do. The Brothers of Cyreneare giving to the Baptist Bible Fellowshipan opportunity, not to sit at their table, norto invite them to ours, but to share the onetable the Lord has given us by his deathand resurrection to reach a long neglectedand difficult to reach community. Let usget to know them and their unique perspectivesand problems. This article, submittedby the secretary of the Brothers of Cyrene,will introduce you to this fellowship of blackpastors who want to connect with the valuesand vision of Baptist Bible Fellowship.Brothers ofCyreneAnd as theycame out,they founda man ofCyrene......him theycompelledto bear hiscross.The Brothers of Cyrene wasstarted primarily for the purposeof fellowship. However,their mission and purpose today is toevangelize Black America by plantingstrong independent Baptist churchesin their cities, towns, communities,and neighborhoods with aggressiveemphasis on soul winning, teaching,preaching, praying, discipleship, andeducation. The Brothers of Cyrene,with the Lord’s help, want to reversethe negative trends found in the home,education, drug and crime, incarceration,and high mortality.Pastors James Richardson (LivingWaters Baptist Church, Mobile),Samuel Mitchell (Bible Study BaptistChurch, Moss Point, Mississippi), andIra A. Walton Sr. (Crenshaw CommunityBaptist Church, Luverne) areall close friends, shepherding churchesthey planted, and active in their respectivestate fellowships.Because these pastors were all bivocational,they never had time for anyserious fellowship except when theirpaths would cross or when they spoke14 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

on the phone. When two ofthese men and their wivesmet at a restaurant for atime of fellowship, they realizedthey shared the sameproblems and concerns intheir ministries and in theircommunities. They discussedthe urgency as well as thedifficulties encountered inreaching black communitiesand how they could bestevangelize and do it at afaster pace.Pastor Walton suggestedthat instead of meeting at arestaurant, a group shouldmeet at someone’s churchand invite other inner-cityindependent Baptist pastorsto be a part of the fellowship.On August 9, 2007, PastorRichardson was host of theAlabama/ Northwest FloridaBaptist Bible Fellowshipmeeting, and Pastor Waltondecided at that meeting to engage thesix black pastors who were in attendance.With a flyer in hand complete withan agenda, a date, time, and place fora larger fellowship, Pastor Waltonwent to work in inviting those pastorsin attendance to a special fellowshipmeeting. The meeting took place at LivingWaters Baptist Church in Mobilewhere Pastor Walton began to sharehis God-given vision for the fellowshipAbove: The Brothers of Cyrene (standing L-R) Jerome Binns, RaymondBell, James Richardson, Eric Riles, Eddie Goodall, ReggieWilliams, Eligah Moore, Victor Baxter. Seated L-R: Bill Fluker,Secretary; Ira Walton, Moderator; Sam Mitchell, Treasurer.Al Janney with Ira Waltonwith all the pastors in attendance. Inthat first meeting, they discussed structure,issues and concerns in reachingBlack America, the need to plant morechurches, and the need to assist andencourage other pastors.That vision culminated in a meetingMarch 28, 2008, at Living WatersBaptist Church. The group formedand developed a purpose and missionstatement. They named the fellowshipBrothers of Cyrene taken from Matthew27:32. The name of the fellowshiporiginated in the heart and mind ofPastor Walton’s great friend, PastorChuck Ford. The fellowship namedWalton as moderator. Two other officers,Bill Fluker and Sam Mitchellbecame secretary and treasurer respectively.The Brothers of Cyrene are not ofthe opinion that the blacks must separatein order to effectively address theunique circumstances involving BlackAmerica. They desire and desperatelyneed the help of predominantly nonblackcongregations to reach BlackAmerica and plant churches.Rather, this fellowship,through its website (www.brothersofcyrene.com), willserve as an information hubfor Bible college graduates,laymen, church members, etc.,who have been called of God inthis task. The website will provideinformation and locationswhere pastors, youth directors,Christian schoolteachers, choirdirectors, etc., are needed. Additionally,this site will providea means by which believers oflike faith will have the opportunityto search for and findindependent Baptist churchesin other cities and towns. Thesite will offer other opportunitiesas well.The Brothers of Cyreneare pastors and laymen whoare active participants intheir state fellowships. Theyare affiliated with and workclosely in conjunction with theBaptist Bible Fellowship International(BBFI) and state fellowships in plantingchurches. They desire to work withother Bible-believing fellowships, missionboards, and local churches in theirefforts to evangelize their communitiesand neighborhoods.They strongly desire the pastors ofthe state fellowships to truly embracetheir vision by encouraging their membersto pray and to get involved. Theyask all those in the BBFI and in otherBible-believing ministries who alreadyhave productive and prosperous ministries,to help the Brothers of Cyrenereach the unreached for Christ.If you desire to write us, send correspondenceto the following address:Brothers of Cyrenec/o Crenshaw Community BaptistChurch1607 Rutledge Loop RoadLuverne, AL 36049Please visit our website for further information:www.brothersofcyrene.com.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 15

Seven secretsof dynamic livingBy Jim Combs, Tribune Editor 1983 - 1995ast thou heard the secretof God?” (Job 15:18)H Within the pages of Holy Writare many secrets that are discussedand revealed. We read of secret sins,secret things that belong unto God,secret faults that hinder our progress,and of the “secret places of the stairs.”Secrets are intriguing, interesting,fascinating. But in this article, I amtaking the ancient question of Eliphaz,who probably did not know the answer,either, and associating it first with theprofound doxology of Paul in Romans16:25-27:“Now to him that is of power toestablish you according to mygospel, and the preaching of JesusChrist, according to the revelationof the mystery, which waskept secret since the world began.But now is made manifest, andby the scriptures of prophets, accordingto the commandment ofthe everlasting God, made knownto all nations for the obedienceof faith; To the only wise God beglory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”Whatever Eliphaz may or maynot have had in mind, Paul unveils bydivine inspiration the great secret ofthe ages that the gospel of Christ andHis glorious salvation would be madeknow to all nations for the obedience offaith...the gospel is an open secret.Paul enlarges on that concept whenhe writes in Colossians of “the mysterywhich hath been hid from ages andgenerations, but now is made manifestto his saints; To whom God would makeknown what is the riches of the glory ofthis mystery among the gentiles; whichis Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians1:26, 27).This is the greatest secret ofdynamic Christianity, that Christ is actuallyalive in His divine and dynamicpresence in your very life and being. Asa tooth grows from inside out, Christiancharacter and conduct ideally proceedfrom within, from the reality of the indwellingChrist. Let me build on theseconcepts by suggesting and selectingseven open secrets for dynamic Christliving, based on the power-packed principlesof the Word of God.1. The secret of drawingenergy from ChristThis mysterious (as God calls it) powerand presence can teach you what youneed to know, if you are only receptive16 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

and teachable. It can inspire you withnew thoughts and ideas, so that yourwork will have a freshness and originalitybeyond your own abilities.This extraordinary power, thispresence, is no abstraction, but actuallythe most practical thing there is.This Power is really no less than JesusChrist personally living in your life.“Christ liveth in me,” Paul gloriouslyaffirmed in Galatians 2:20.As a born-again child of God, youhave the right and privilege to cooperatewith this Indwelling Person and toallow Him to work through your body,mind, and estate, so that you no longergrovel on the ground, so to speak, amidlimitations and difficulties, but can soarupon wings like an eagle to the realm ofspiritual dominion and radiant joy.Right within your heart andmind, within your own consciousnessof His dynamic and divinepresence, Christ lives to impartHis energy, wisdom, grace,power, and resources to you. Butyou must make conscious contactwith Him, no longer ignoringwhat is already real and potentiallyvibrant within your person.As Christ was born in astable, so Christ comes into thetabernacle of your body, at firstperhaps so quietly you scarcelyrealize He is there. But as Christgrew on this earth, so Jesus willbecome larger in your thinkingand planning as you practice Hispresence, as you commune daily,hourly with Him.When you are born again,when you receive Christ, He does indeedmake His supernatural entry intothat new nature that is created in youat the moment of salvation. Now he desiresto enhance, enrich, and empoweryour life, raising you toward your fullpotential, whatever may be your realmof activity. By prayer, by communion,by cultivating a constant consciousnessof His presence, you will tap his infiniteresources. From Him you can receiveall the spiritual energy and strengthyou need to accomplish great exploitsfor God. You can join the inspiredapostle in declaring, “I can do all thingsthrough Christ which strengthenethme” (Philippians 4:13).2. The secret of deciding onlife’s goals“I beseech you therefore, brethren,by the mercies of God, that yepresent your bodies a living sacrifice,holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service.And be not conformed to thisworld: but be ye transformed bythe renewing of your mind, thatye may prove what is that good,and acceptable, and perfect, willof God” (Romans 12:1,2).Now that you are a Christian,you can understand that you make apresentation of your body and all thatyou are to God in an act of commitment,surrender, and submission to Hiswill. This will result in no conformationto the evil standards and ungodlytrends of a wicked world. By the powerof Christ living in you, and by theconscious “renewal of your mind,” youwill experience ongoing transformationwithin the will and plan of God for yourlife.It is of prime importance to havea definite major life goal. At whateverage you are (the younger the better, butmature age is not a limitation), prayerfullyset forth in writing what you wantto be and what you want to accomplishin the life that is ahead of you. Makethis goal consistent with Romans 12:1and 2, and be flexible, amenable toentering new and unexpected doors ofopportunity, if God opens them and soleads you. Overcome carnal inertia orlackadaisical procrastination by gettingstarted now.Let me give you three powerful,practical principles to keep in mindas you move forward into the future,trusting God for His guidance: (1) Allspiritual achievements, all materialriches, all worthwhile aimsanyone acquires throughprayer and hard work beginin the form of a clear, concise,mental picture of the thingone seeks. Commit that conceptto memory, and put it inpractice! (2) The time it takesyou to accomplish your goalis the exact time necessaryto deliver the service to Godand to others that is of equalvalue to your visualized goal.You must render a service ofequivalent value to the objectof your purpose. That is trueof small intermediate goals aswell as the grand and noblepurpose of your whole life. (3)Whatever you can visualize asbeing possible, even remotelypossible, within the realm of God’sWord and will, can come to pass. Youmust believe it. That is faith. BelieveGod! Believing can eventually make itreal!3. The secret of deepeningyour personal devotion“Now abideth these three: faith,hope and love, but the greatest ofthese is love” (I Cor. 13:13).Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 17

What is the first and great commandment?“Thou shalt love the Lordthy God with all thy heart, and with allthy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew22:37). To seek first the kingdomof God involves loving Him. Love himemotionally with the heart; love Himspiritually with the soul; love Himmentally with the mind. As you loveHim more, His presence and power willflow the more through you.When Christ quoted from the OldTestament, “Thou shalt love thy neighboras thyself” He called it the secondcommandment. If your vertical lovetoward God is in order, your horizontallove toward others will tend to follow.But notice Christ said to love others“as thyself.” There is a sense in whichyou love and accept yourself in Christ.Don’t unintentionally diminish God’sinvestment in you by belittling or demeaningyourself. You are “accepted inthe beloved.” You can accept yourself,feel good within about yourself, know inyour heart that you belong to Him andare beautiful in His sight.4. The secret of dismissingthe negative forcesSome folks, even some “dwarfChristians” seem to treat life as “oneblamed thing after another.” Theynever become victorious Christiansbecause they think so negatively abouttheir lives, their situations, and theirproblems. Remember the three enemiesof the believer are the world, the flesh,and the devil.Surrounded and sometimesbombarded by negative forces, ideas,and trends, we need to claim victorythrough our Lord Jesus Christ. “Lovenot the world,” John appeals (I John2:15,16), “for all that is in the world,the lust of the flesh, and the lust of theeyes, and the pride of life, is not of theFather, but is of the world.”Selfish immorality, covetous greed,and arrogant human pride are the trinityof evil in our world system. Noneof these things lead to happiness orultimate success. We overcome this externalenemy, the world, by faith. “Whois he that overcometh the world, but hethat believeth that Jesus is the Son ofGod?” (I John 5:5).Likewise, the flesh, the old naturewithin us, is an internal enemy:Now the works of the fleshare manifest, which are these;adultery, fornication, uncleanness,lasciviousness, idolatry,witchcraft, hatred, variance,emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,heresies, envyings, murders,drunkenness, revellings,and such like . . . (Galatians5:19-21a).We overcome the old nature, theflesh, by “crucifying.” Christ died on thecross for those sins. “And they that areChrist’s have crucified the flesh with theaffections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:24).Against Satan, the ultimate evil,there can be victory. “And they overcamehim by the blood of the Lamb,and by the word of their testimony; andthey loved not their lives unto death”(Revelation 12:11). By spiritual resolveand the power of the indwelling Christ,these negative forces can be overcome.“Submit yourselves therefore to God.Resist the devil, and he will flee fromyou. Draw nigh to God, and he willdraw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands,ye sinners; and purify your hearts, yedouble-minded.” (James 4:7-8).5. The secret of doing theimpossibleAnd all things, whatsoever yeshall ask believing, ye shallreceive. (Matthew 21:22).All things are possible to himthat believeth. (Mark 9:23).Faith does move mountains! Prayand believe! Whatever you can conceiveas in God’s will and believe in yourheart, you can receive or achieve by thegrace and power of God. “More thingsare wrought by prayer,” someone hassaid, “than the world dreams of.”Remember that it is not mere passivesubmission God wants, but activeobedience. Therefore, let God energizeyour thinking; develop and plan toreach your goal. Plan your work! Workyour plan!...with exuberance!But it will take time!6. The secret of daring to begreat for GodThe pathway to greatness for thebeliever begins with a yielded heartat the foot of Calvary. But do not bedeceived into a false humility, anexcessive sense of “nothingness” beforeGod. I once attended a prayer meetingwhere everybody prayed “just to benothing.” God must have heard theirprayer, since I have not heard of any ofthem since. You want to be something,somebody for God. You want to be everythingGod has called you to be! Liveyour life with a sense of divine service,motivated by love!7. The secret of delightingyourself in God“Delight thyself also in the Lord;and he shall give thee the desiresof thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).Scan Psalm 37 for these watchwords ofjoy and success in Christ.“Trust in the Lord” (verse 3)“Delight...in the Lord (verse 4)“Commit thy way unto the Lord (verse5).“Rest in the Lord” (verse 7)“Wait patiently” (verse 7)“Cease from anger” (verse 8)“Fret not” (verse 9)“Depart from evil” (verse 27)“Wait on the Lord and keep his way”(verse 34).As you gradually draw energy fromthe indwelling Christ and delight inGod, following these “open secrets,” youwill grow mightily in grace and you willbecome a dynamic, successful Christian,ever increasing in love, peace, and joy!18 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

Seventy-five CentsBy Sandie Powella BasketShe scrubbed and scrubbed untilher knuckles bled. It wasn’t herchoice, but it fell her lot to holdher family together.Adelaide, affectionately called “Addie”by friends and family, had alwaysbeen a hard worker. Addie had tenchildren. Her husband, Pearl, met anuntimely death and left her to care forthis large brood with the only meansshe could. She washed baskets of laundryfor 75 cents each.Pearl had been the town drunk.This was not a spiteful label, but onehe had rightfully earned. He met hisdeath in a brawl, following a lengthydrinking spree. Addie received wordfrom a friend late one night as shebedded down her children in the tinyone-room converted barn at the edge oftown. This was home for Adelaide andher large family.The rich folks in town knew Adelaidewould do the best possible job,carefully scrubbing their laundry. Theystuffed the baskets full and felt charitableas they paid her 75 cents a basket.One day, a prosperous lady substituteda worn sweater for the 75 cents. AsAddie traveled home, weary and disappointed,she looked at the used sweaterand noticed the pearl buttons had allbeen cut off, making it even less usableand certainly not worth her afternoonof hard work.The disappointment was particularlydifficult because this basket oflaundry had a special purpose. It wasearmarked for something that wasmore precious to Addie than food, milk,or even fuel to heat their drafty barnhome. It was earmarked for a piano lessonfor her precious Linnie.Linnie was the youngest of the tenand often accompanied her mother onwashday. If there was a piano anywherein the vicinity, Linnie would sitdown and quietly plunk out melodioustunes, much to the amazement of hermother’s patrons. Adelaide recognizedthe God-given talent in Linnie and wasdetermined her youngest daughterwould develop and use her talent forGod’s glory. Adelaide was a dedicatedChristian and had passed her faith onto each one of her ten children.One day, after a long afternoon ofheavy washing, Addie noticed a hideous,whitewashed upright piano in thecorner of the living room of an elderlyman she washed for. She asked if thepiano was for sale. The man was anxiousto get rid of the eyesore and saidhe would gladly sell it for $5 if someonewould remove it from his home. Shemanaged to raise the money, and sheand little 10-year-old Linnie pushed thepiano all the way through town to theirbarn home. That piano filled one wholecorner of the cramped dwelling, andAddie beamed with every note Linnieplayed day after day as she faithfullypracticed on her piano.Linnie, or Linda as we know hernow, became a skillful church pianist.She is Linda Guinn, the wife of WayneGuinn, director of the National ChurchPlanting Office. Those of us who knowher have enjoyed her musical talentand God-given gift. Truly, Adelaide’ssacrifice and 75-cent baskets of laundryhave brought huge dividends. Nothingever given to God is forgotten orwasted.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 19

Baptist HistoryBy Thomas RAYExchanging freedom for slaveryOn May 13, 1809, 13 black members of the First BaptistChurch of Philadelphia were dismissed at theirrequest in order to establish the First African BaptistChurch. About a month later, on June 19, the church wasorganized and called as their first pastor Henry Cunninghamwho served the church from 1809 until 1812.The next pastor was John King (a white minister fromVirginia), who would serve First African from 1813 until earlyin 1832. Without pastoral leadership, the church began tostruggle and to experience a slow but steady decline in itsmembership. At the same time, Philadelphia had become thehome to an ever-increasingnumber of runaway slavesand freemen who soughtand found refuge in Pennsylvania.The church cameto the conclusion that ifthey were going to evangelizePhiladelphia’s growingblack population, theymust obtain the services ofa black minister who couldprovide them with stabilityand leadership.Shortly after theirsearch was launched, theywere informed about JamesBurrows, a black preacherin Virginia who was havinggreat success in preaching the gospel among the slaves. Thechurch immediately corresponded with Burrows and invitedhim to come to Philadelphia.Burrows was receptive to the church’s invitation, butthere was one major problem. James Burrows was a slave,and his owner refused to allow him to go to Philadelphia untilhe was paid in full for his property. First African Church hadonly 60 members, all of whom were poor, and it was impossiblefor them to raise the money that was required to obtainBurrows’ freedom (a healthy educated slave like Burrowswould sell for somewhere between $800 to $1000). The churchoffered to pay Burrows’ owner in installments for his freedom,but he refused their offer. The church members were naturallydisappointed, but they strongly believed that James Burrowswas God’s man for their church. The church had run outof options but they still had faith in the God who hears andanswers prayer.During this crisis, two cousins, Samuel and John Bivins,would make one of the most selfless sacrifices in Baptist history.Samuel and John, who were both freemen, decided, aftermuch prayer and discussion, to make an astounding offer.They offered to place themselves in bondage as security forthe freedom of James Burrows. Burrows’ owner accepted Samueland John’s offer. They immediately traveled to Virginiaand these freemen willingly became bond slaves in order thatJames Burrows might befree to preach the gospel.Burrows hastenedto Philadelphia where hewas installed as pastorof First African BaptistChurch.Burrows and thechurch did not forgetSamuel and John Bivins.Through their self-sacrificeand the gifts of interestedfriends, Burrowsand the church wereeventually able to obtaintheir freedom. Samueland John Bivins hadserved as slaves for oneyear, a sacrifice they gladly made for the sake of the gospel.The pair returned to Philadelphia where they assisted PastorBurrows in the work of the church.Burrows’ ministry and the growth of the church wouldmore than amply justify Samuel and John Bivins’ sacrifice oflove. Upon the arrival of John Burrows in 1832, the churchhad only 60 members. At his death in 1844, that number hadincreased to 252. (Remember, in that day, Baptist churcheshad approximately five times as many attendees as they hadmembers.)When you are challenged to make a physical or financialsacrifice for the work of God, remember Samuel and JohnBivins, who willingly exchanged freedom for slavery for thefurtherance of the gospel.20 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

URBANCURRENTGonna run on...Charles Lyons, PastorArmitage Baptist ChurchChicago, IllinoisI’m on my run. The sun warms myface. I’m making tracks down theparkway that flanks the Boulevard.I follow a path through the grass. Backwhen I started, there was no path.This summer I’m reflecting on God’sgoodness as I mark 35 years as pastorof Armitage Baptist Church in thisworld-class city. When I began, therewas no path. I marvel at supernaturalstrength for every step. I ponder God’sgrace for the race. My mind flits to mypreacher father, 58 years the pastor ofAshburn Baptist here in the Chicagoarea. What an example!Exodus 23 comes to mind. Godgave me this passage in 1980 when wewere trying to buy this big old MasonicTemple. We sealed the deal in 1981,exorcised the place, and are still sanctifyingit. In verse 20, God tells Mosesand the people He will send an angelbefore them. Then He says He willbring them to the land of the Amorites,the Hittites, the Perrizites, theCanaanites, the termites…you rememberthe passage. I understood that tosay that God would lead us to the enemy,to His enemies, in order to showHis power over them.I didn’t know that the first enemywould be an Irish Democrat slumlordfamily. They owned this building weended up buying at a rock-bottom price.Wow! God led us to face the gangs. Infact, we took over their headquartercorner when we bought this building.Every night 25 guys would be hangingout on our front steps. I spotted theirformer chief a couple weeks ago praisingGod on our front row. God led usto an eyeball-to-eyeball facedown withthe Chicago Democratic machine. Westood, they stumbled and backed away.charles.lyons@armitagechurch.orgGod led us into a Holy Ghost encounterwith radical homosexuals. It’s a greatstory, but suffice it to say Saints 2, RadHomosexuals 0. What really freakedthem out? We loved on them all theway through.Oh yes, through many dangers,toils, and snares…I think of when my back problemswouldn’t even let me walk and thenwould only let me walk but not run. Aritual has evolved. As I begin my run,I think of the blessing of being able torun again. I lift my hands above myhead, crazy-man like. You know, likethe winner breaking the tape…onlythe passing traffic sees no tape and noother runners, just a skinny white manrunning down the parkway with hisarms in the air and his lips moving. I’mthanking God for letting me run onemore day, praising Him for His goodnessand faithfulness all these yearsand miles later.Today, I want to yell over myshoulder to all you servants behind merunning at the 2-year mark, the 8-yearmark, 17 years, 26 years, 34 years,“GOD IS GOOD! HE’S FAITHFUL! Oh,He will test you to grow you. He’ll turnup the fire to purify you. He’ll stretchyou to within an inch of your life, butHe will never, ever leave you. He’s runningwith you right now.”Many days when I thought I wastrudging sluggishly, the fancy shmancysport tool my staff gave me told me Iwas running at a stronger, faster pacethan it felt like. So many nights gettingup to preach my 3rd or 4th message ofthe day I thought, “I’m not getting thejob done.” A couple months ago, I askedall the men who were called to preachto come and sit in the front. About 20guys came and filled the front row.I’ve failed Him, He’s never failedme. I want to holler back to all thosecoming up behind me, “When you don’tthink you can run one more mile, youcan do all things through Christ. Whenyou think you can’t go one more step,you don’t have one more sermon in you,one more service, one more counseling...the passing traffic sees no tape and no otherrunners, just a skinny white man running down theparkway with his arms in the air and his lips moving.session, one more deacons’ meeting,not one more Bible study in you, whenyou don’t have one more tear, when youjust know one more family leaving willbreak you…they that wait upon theLord will renew their strength, theywill mount up with wings like eagles,they shall run and not faint. The race isnot given to the swift. Your labor is notin vain in the Lord.”He may not come when you wantHim, but He’s always on time. I’m awitness! I’ve got to testify! This is mystory, this is my song, I’m praising mySavior all the day long. Can somebodyhelp me praise Him? Can I get a witness?I said, can I get a witness? God isgood! God is able!Miracles ahead! Answered prayer.More souls. I believe I’m gonna runon…see what the end’s gonna be.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 21

James G. Smith | Associate BBFI Mission DirectorOpen doors and adversariesFor a great door and effectual isopened unto me, and there aremany adversaries. (I Corinthians16:9)In the Scriptures, when God tellsus about open doors, He quickly adds,“and there are many adversaries.” Paulwas saying this when he was in Ephesus.Later he would ask them to prayfor him, specifically for the boldness heneeded to proclaim the good news.The doors for effective churchplanting are open all across LatinAmerica. There are approximately 600million people in that region whichextends from the northwest corner ofMexico to the southernmost point ofChile. The BBFI has from itsinception had a presence inthis region. And after muchwork, time, and resourcesinvested, our churches inLatin America are doing wellin evangelizing, baptizing,and making disciples. Thesechurches are also reproducingthemselves and sendingout missionaries and pastors.Most of my life has beenspent in this area of the world. Havingbeen born and reared in Mexico, thenserving in Ecuador, my heart is stirredwhen I think of the BBFI work in LatinAmerica. Currently, the BBFI has 228adult career missionaries and four adultTEAM missionaries in the 21 countriesof Central and South America. Workingalongside these missionaries are hundredsof local pastors and Bible institutestudents, and thousands of believers.However, Latin America still hasan ever-expanding population whichneeds to hear of the love of God. Forexample, Brazil’s population grew from54 million in 1950 to 171 million in2000. Mexico, the second largest countryin the region, also more than tripledin the last half of the 20th century.That’s an open door – but weshould consider the adversaries thatplague our missionaries: governmentrestrictions, political turmoil, culturalunrest, government coalitions, and ourcommon adversary, the devil.From Bogotá, Colombia, CraigLingo reports, “The central governmenthas arbitrarily established limits ofcapacity in church buildings accordingto the various areas of the city. In April2009, a picture of our church buildingappeared in the largest newspaperin the country. The gist of the articlewas that 90 percent of all non-Catholicchurches in Bogota were far from complyingwith the new regulations. Ourchurch may have to relocate.”One of our missionaries in CentralAmerica recently stated, “We are havingdifficulties with the governmentthat unless the Lord intervenes willdemand the closing of some churches.”We have seen the recent politicalunrest in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Forsome time now, we have witnessed withconcern all of the drug-related violencein several areas of Mexico.The relationships between the governmentsof different countries can alsohave an adverse effect on the efforts todo ministry. There is some apprehensionregarding the formation of ALBA,the Bolivarian Alternative for theAmericas. This group, whose purpose isto integrate nations in Latin America,at the moment, includes Cuba, Venezuela,Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, andNicaragua.One cannot talk about adversariesto international church plantingwithout considering the strategy ofthe adversary that the Apostle Peterdescribed as a roaringlion, seeking whom hewould devour.As we pray for the furtheranceof the gospel inLatin America, let’s prayspecifically that our missionarieswould havepatience, would be creative,and would be boldin the presentation ofthe good news. We needto take advantage of the open doors,fully armed to fight the adversary andthe adversaries.I think Craig Lingo has the rightattitude. He said, “The wonderfulaspect of the church is that it is anorganism. It is not a building. Historyhas proven that it has an amazingcapacity to adapt to whatever situationit is placed under. Therefore, the questionis not whether the church will survive.Rather we must ask God to showus how to become more effective in anever-changing world.”22 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

Busy summer months for NCPOWayne Guinnncpo directorSummer has brought a flurryof activity to the NCPO office.June turned out to be one of themost productive months in our historyfor church loans. We have beeninvolved in projects in Michigan, Georgia,New York, North Carolina, Virginia,Florida, North Dakota, Indiana,Texas, and Massachusetts. God’s blessingsare evident in the building expansionof these churches.Good reports are also beingreceived from our new church plants inArkansas, Kentucky, New York, SouthCarolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan,Washington, New Mexico, Oklahoma,Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida,Georgia, Alabama, and Indiana. Prayfor our church planters that God willcontinue to bless. Let me also encourageyou, if you are not currently supportinga new church plant, to prayerfullyconsiderbeginning to financiallysupport oneof our new churchplants.Plans are fallinginto place forour Ignite ChurchPlanting Conferenceat BaptistBible CollegeSpringfield andBoston Baptist College.The datesfor Springfield areOctober 26-27,2009. The dates forBoston are November16-17, 2009.Why not makeplans to attend one orboth of these conferencesand help us encourage thestudents about becomingfuture church planters!Look for a list of speakersand topics in next month’sTribune.Fall Candidate Schoolis set for October 12-16,2009. It will be hostedby Sauk Trail BaptistTemple in Richton Park, Illinois, andPastor Bruce Humbert. Please contactour office at bbfincpo@aol.com for moreinformation and a registration form.You may also call (417) 889-1017.“Upward Conference” is plannedfor October and will be co-hosted by theNCPO, the Mission Office, and the Tribune.If your ministry has plateauedand you are looking for answers, thiscould be just what you need.This event is to encouragegrowth in the churches ofthe BBFI. A limited numberof scholarships will be madeavailable on a first-comebasis. The cost of the conferencewill be $99 and the datesare October 13-15. Speakersand topics will be in nextmonth’s Tribune.Bentonville, AR. - Philip, April,and their children are attendingMike Brinson’s LifepointBaptist Church regularly,thanks to a divine appointment,a newspaper article,Google, and the Baptist Bible Tribune.The story began when Mikeemailed a newspaper columnist somequestions about a planned highwaybypass in Northwest Arkansas. Mikeexplained he was starting a newchurch, and the columnist publishedan account of their correspondence.April read the column mentioningMike and the new church, searched formore information using Google, andthat directed her to the Tribune website(www.tribune.org) where she foundcontact information for the Brinsonsand Lifepoint.Mike says, “Her husband Philipand family moved from Florida andhave been searching for a church homefor a few months. Since that Divineappointment, they have graced us withmany visits and I have had the opportunityto visit with them in their home.They have made a commitment to joinLifepoint and help us reach NorthwestArkansas for Christ. God seesthe big picture and is working in wayswe could never imagine. We praiseHis name for calling us to start a newchurch.”Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 23

v i e w f r o m b b cJim Edge | President | Baptist Bible CollegeBAPTIST BIBLE COLLEGESummer is training time for BBC student internsAlmost as soon as the final“Amen” was spoken at BaptistBible College’s 2009 FellowshipWeek events, the majority of the studentsheaded for destinations all overthe world! Yes, I said the world! It usedto be a common thing for students tocomplete their spring semester at BBCand then go home to work for the summer.But now it is becoming increasinglycommon for students to acceptchallenges to experience ministry ona whole new hands-on level! We havestudents completing internships, shorttermmissionary experiences, and ministrytraining times around the globethis summer. These students are beingexposed to ministry in a brand new21st-century method that seems futuristic.Well, as we are quickly learning,the future is here!First, I want to give an updateregarding two of our students who wereinvolved in a serious automobile accidenton May 24 in Michigan. Many ofyou have been praying about this situation.Steven Crane and Cynthia Murray(the granddaughter of K.B. Murray)are both giving God the glory fortheir recovery from what could havebeen life-threatening injuries. Cynthia’scrushed voice box was especiallycritical. She recently reported to us(in a strong voice) that she was doinggreat and the doctors are expectingcontinuing recovery. She loves to singpraises to God and prays she will beable to resume all of her singing ministries.Steve’s fractured knee cap isimproving and he plans to resume hiswork for BBC’s security staff when hereturns. Steven and Cynthia are bothquick to say their lives are testimoniesof God’s grace. Both believe God musthave something special planned forthem because He spared them throughthis accident. We believe that too! It isthrough ordeals like this that we realizewhat is really important —the studentsGod will use in the future.We have students who have completedmissionary experiences in CostaRica and Colombia this summerthrough BBC’s field-training courses.Students are serving on mission fieldsin the Philippines, Tanzania, Kenya,Southeast Asia, Europe, and othercountries of South America. Most ofthese interns are working alongsideveteran missionaries. Kristin Sorrellis in the Philippines working with theGreg Lyons family. She has reportedthat her experiences will forevershape her plans and preparations forher future ministry. That kind of testimonyis repeated over and over by ourstudents serving God on these missionfields.I joke that many of these studentstraining overseas have fallen so in lovewith their ministries that they don’twant to come back to America. In reality,most of these students are evenmore determined to complete their educationand receive as much preparationin the classroom as possible. The pasthas taught us that they return moregoal-oriented, focused, and committedto the process of their educationaldevelopment. They know there is sucha great need but they also recognize ahuge need to be properly prepared tominister in this modern world!We also have a large number ofstudents working in camps and churchesaround the country. In fact, as Iwrite this article, there is a group ofhigh school campers on the campusof Baptist Bible College. This groupof teens from New Mexico and WestTexas are having a great camp experiencehere at BBC. But alongside thecampers are our own students whohave returned this week because theyare doing internships in these variouschurches. Will Hamlet is doingan internship in New Mexico leadingup to his wedding later this month inArkansas. Mike Petracca is interningat his home church in Albuquerque,New Mexico. Mike Ziegler is here thisweek while doing an internship in DesMoines, Iowa. Daniel Jarvis is back oncampus while doing an apprenticeshipin Lubbock, Texas.Next week, Baptist Bible Collegewill host a LIFT Camp on our campus.There will be approximately 200 campershere for that event. But along withthose visitors there will be a host ofBBC students returning as counselorsand interns in the many churches represented.BBC’s own Rec Team will beserving with the camp. This furthershows the number of students who areinvesting their summer in the serviceof our Lord. They are being stretched todo more than they thought they coulddo, yet, they are being blessed morethan ever.These are just a few examples ofthe many practical, hands-on, ministryexperiences our students are havingthis summer. The sun does not seton the ministry of Baptist Bible Collegethis summer because of the worldwideoutreach of our own students. Theyare scattered everywhere having thelearning experiences of a lifetime! I ameager to hear their testimonies whenthey return in August. Praise the Lordfor the great things He is doing in andthrough the students of Baptist BibleCollege!24 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

N E W Sv i e w f r o m b o s t o nDavid Melton | President | Boston Baptist CollegeIt’s been a rainy summer...so everything’s growingSoggy. Wet. Puddles.Probably the best way todescribe this summer in NewEngland. For those of you who havehad triple-digit heat, you feel no sympathyfor me — even if your heat isa dry heat. For us, this has been thesummer of tall grass. It just stays wet,so we can hardly get the mowers out.I look out the window now and thefront oval on campus is not neat andpretty. But the guy’s lawn acrossthe street is no better. Rain rulesright now.Tall grass can be a bit annoying.But it is a sign of health! I liketo see things grow. As a pastor andcollege leader, growing is what Iwant. Not all growth is pretty, butit sure beats what happens in theother seasons.Here in Boston I am privilegedto be watching growth. All kinds ofit.More and more churches arejoining the Boston team. I havebeen saying it over and over again;this effort that we share together— to build a great ministry college inthe midst of New England — wherethe gospel is about as scarce as anywherein the U.S., this is a great task.But it is also a great privilege. I am sothankful that more and more of youare responding. Our number of givingchurches continues to climb steadily.Now, our bottom line is not exploding,because I’ve heard from a number ofpastors who are being forced to trimmissions giving (temporarily) due tothese tough financial times. But, weare growing our team. In response tothat, I have had several pastors callor email to say that they are giving usa “raise.” That is so much appreciatedas well as needed. Obviously, it is notcheaper to do the business side of a collegethan it was a few years ago. Sojust like all of us individually, institutionallyCOLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment)is not just a soft drink. For thosewho can and are doing more...thanksso much! We’re growing.Our influence is growing. Just lastweek I got to see another of our graduatesget ordained. How’s this story?A young man in a New England towngets invited by a friend to church. Hegoes. He knows right off the bat thathe’s in a really different kind of churchthan the Catholic ones he had seenoccasionally. He goes back again. Hegets saved. His pastor, Dayton Burt,invests in him, grows him in faith,and then advises him to take someBible courses at Boston Baptist College.The young man eventually divesin and surrenders to ministry and goesto college full time. He graduates; heserves as an assistant pastor at TempleBaptist in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts,finds a godly wife. He getsordained in the summer of ’09. You justmet Jeff Francoeur. Like a lot of otherBoston alums, he has joined the battle,winning people to Christ, helping tobuild churches. Making a difference.And I am meeting “Jeffs” all over theplace — men and women who studiedin Boston and who are now serving theLord in a variety of places. If it takesa little rain to make things grow...Isay, “Let it pour.”Even our student body is growing.I just finished a recruitmentbriefing...and we will be up againthis fall. Our team is working hardall summer, just as they did allthrough the past year. And it ispaying off. I look at a board on awall and see names. I don’t knowthose young people yet, but I seeJeff from Michigan, and Ryan fromMassachusetts, and Grace fromTexas, and Katie from Pennsylvania,and a whole bunch more. Theyare on their way to Boston! Theywill study with us, travel the worldwith us, serve with us, and theywill grow! New students come to uswith a desire to serve the Lord. Whenthey leave four years later, we’ll havethem loaded with everything we cangive them to do the job well. Four yearsof rain. A lifetime of service.Well, now I am feeling better aboutthe weather forecast. There are someclouds (some of them are dark) literallyhovering over our campus. I wouldprefer to see the sun today, but I’m notin charge of the weather. I am readyfor the guys to cut the front lawn andtrim and edge and all that stuff. I likethe neat, trim, tidy look. But the rainkeeps coming and coming and coming.But so does the growth.Open the heavens. Bring it on.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 25

FellowshipSchool NewsNewsFellowship NewsMissionary lettersbelizeThe other day, my wife received a call informing us thatJose had a heart attack and died. My heart was broken.Jose was my mechanic and also a close friend. I met himseveral years ago. I began bringing our vehicles to him forrepairs and as time went on, our friendship grew. One day Istopped by the shop to have him look at my truck, but therewas nobody there. I walked through the building to the backof the shop, and there, sitting in a chair all alone, was Jose.I sat down beside him and we began to talk. Within a fewminutes, we began talking about heaven. I asked him if hewas going to heaven. He said, “I sure hope so.” I asked himif it would be okay if I showed him what God said in the Bibleabout how a man can be sure he is going heaven. I readKevin & Kim DavisA little more than two years ago, weled Delyth to the Lord. She has beenvery faithful and has a real heart forthe Lord. She’s been baptized, gonethrough our discipleship program, is involvedin one of our weekly ladies’ Biblestudies, and also serves each Sundaydoing our Welsh scripture reading. One of Delyth’s constantprayer requests has been to see others in her family saved.On March 30, her prayers were answered — her daughter,germanyDan & Vicky Weaversome Scriptures to him and then wetalked some more. Finally he said,“Mr. Dan, in all my life no one hasever shown me those things. Youasked me earlier if I was going toheaven, and now I can see that I am not.” A few minuteslater, there in the quiet of that back room, Jose knelt downbeside his chair and trusted Christ. As he stood to his feethe gave me a big bear hug. “Thanks Mr. Dan, you’re a goodfriend,” he said. As I was leaving he called out to me, “Mr.Dan, you forgot your Bible.” “Keep it Jose,” I said. “There isa lot more good stuff in there you need to know.”walesLisa, asked Christ into her heart! Pray for Lisa as she beginsher walk with the Lord. She has a rough past and years ofbondage to drugs and alcohol that pull at her. Living in asmall village where everyone knows you and the only thingyou know is going to the pub is going to be a very difficulttransition. Lisa has two children, Liam, 13, and Sasha, 11.We are committed to helping this family be restored andhealed, and are hopeful that Lisa will allow God to be glorifiedin her life as she walks in obedience. What a testimonyher life could be to our village!Wilhelm & Sandra FalkRenee has been coming to our services since 2004. GordonPulley led her to the Lord. Renee got married when she wasyoung. She married a Muslim and had a daughter, Jasmine.When her daughter was two years old, her husband disappearedwith their daughter. She did not know where theywent. She began searching, but had no success. When shegot saved, she began asking us if we would consider prayingthat the Lord would move her daughter’s heart somehowto give a sign of life. So we began praying diligently.It has been four years now. But twomonths ago, Renee received a call fromher daughter. Last time she saw her was24 years ago. Jasmine is now marriedand has a little girl, Sarah, who is threeyears old. In June, Renee went to visitJasmine, her husband, and granddaughter in Dubai. What ablessing! God is faithful, and he answers prayer.Steve & Kelli MoweryOn a recent trip, we had an Arab busdriver named Yihya. We developed aspecial bond. One evening, Susie andI were able to sit down and witnessto him for three hours. He was visiblymoved by the gospel, knowing that none of his good worksspaincould save him. The next day, he came up to me at lunchand told me, “I went to bed last night but woke up after ashort time and spent most of the night meditating on whatyou told me.” I am going to send Yihya an Arabic Bible thisweek. Pray for his salvation.26 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

FellowshipSchool NewsNewsMissionary lettersAllen & Aase OwensFabiola is a friendly talkative 16-yearold.Her mother and father are drugaddicts and her mother offers servicesto men, as Fabiola put it. Fabiola hasbeen using drugs since she was 12 andshe left her home because her parents are abusive. Her sistertried to kill herself twice and Fabiola just didn’t want tobe around that stuff anymore. A half hour before the busmexicopulled out, a friend called her and said, “Come to camp withme.” So she came. Without me saying anything about Godyet (other than praying in front of her before I ate at dinnertime),she said, “I am looking for God. I haven’t useddrugs in five days, and for me that is good, but I know Ineed help.” Pray that Fabiola will find Christ and exchangeher old life for a new life in Christ.scotlandRick & Cheri MoellerTwenty years ago, I led Sibusiso and Phindi Makhanya tofaith in Jesus Christ. Cheri and I discipled the couple, andthen for 14 years, Sibusiso pastored the first church thathe and I planted together in South Africa, the OsizweniBible Baptist Church. Sibusiso is a high-character manwith great leadership ability and talent. He has led manyof his own people to faith in Christ. He truly loves his Lord.The Osizweny church never had the financial capability tosupport a pastor full time. So, Sibusiso was a teacher and“trainer” for the South African government and several internationalcorporations. One corporation saw his potentialalmost a year ago and transferred him to the city of Durbanto work with their agents. After much prayer, Sibusiso resignedthe Osizweni church and turnedit over to Sipho Inkosi, whom he haddiscipled (his brother-in-law). AfterSibusiso sold his home and moved hisfamily, the economy dropped drastically.His employers reneged on their promises and eliminatedhis position. So, in these rough economic times, he iswithout a job. But, as always, Sibusiso has been willing tobe used by God. He volunteered to lead the Hammarsdalework when Cheri and I had to leave South Africa. The Lordis really blessing him there. In the last two months, 16people have been saved and three baptized. Once again,Sibusiso’s qualities are shining through.Mark & Michele HaleWe don’t know the lies that werewhispered as he secured one end ofthe rope, nor the untruths that werecommunicated as he slipped his headthrough the noose. One thing is forcertain, Darius was listening to the wrong ones as he madehis plunge into eternity. Just 22 years old at the time of hisportugaldeath, he was one of the orphans in Lithuania we had repeatedlytried to reach. But sadly, he rejected the gospelin favor of the temptations and deceptions of the world.Intellectually, we can say we tried, but spiritually and emotionallywe grieve for yet another lost soul. I can still see hissmile and hear his voice, but I can no longer help him.australiaRon is in his early 70s and was recently saved. He continuesto grow and makes conscious efforts to get into God’s Wordand learn all that he can. Ron told me, “If I am going to be aChristian, I need to know what the Bible says.” He has nowcompleted the Old Testament and is halfway through theNew Testament. However, Ron and his wife are doing morethan just reading. A couple of weeks ago, we arrived at ourrented facility for services and the locks had been changedTony & Julie Sullivanwithout notice. I started calling peopleto let them know about our situation.When I phoned Ron, he immediatelysuggested we come to hisplace and meet on his back porch. Sooff we went. The Lord gave us a good time of Bible study,discussion, and fellowship, and He used a new believer tomake it all happen.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 27

N E W SFellowship NewsFundamental Baptist celebrates 75 yearsPalmer, TXFundamental Baptist Church andPastor Gary Miller celebrated thechurch’s 75th anniversary with specialservices June 27. More than 330attended the morning service thatfeatured a sermon preached by formerpastor S. G. Hancock, a historical reviewof the congregation, and a dinner.Miller presented Hancock with aplaque honoring him for his 30 yearsof leadership in the Palmer church.Another former pastor, Keith Bassham,now editor of the Baptist Bible Tribune,sent a video greeting in which he displayedhis ordination certificate presentedby Fundamental Baptist in 1976.The church began in 1934 whenEvangelist J. C. Johnson was passingthrough town to conduct a revival ina nearby community. Passing Palmereach day for two weeks, he decidedto ask permission to hold a meeting.There was no electricity, and the peoplesat on split logs, but by the end of thetwo-week meeting, more than 30 peoplehad been converted. The new churchacquired the land they had been usingfor the impromptu revival and beganwork on a permanent structure whichwas completed in 1935 on the site ofthe present auditorium.The first official service was heldJune 17, 1935 with about 50 memberspresent. Another building was finishedin 1944, and it became a Sunday schoolbuilding when the current auditoriumwas dedicated in 1975. Since then thechurch has added newer buildings anda family life center (2004).Gary Miller, who had servedas an assistant pastor to Hancock,was called to be senior pastor uponHancock’s retirement in 2007.Fundamental is the sending church forBBFI missionaries Bill and QuessieHarvey, and currently supports 103missionaries and mission projects.They completed their 38th faith promisemission conference this year.Pastor Gary R. Miller presents a plaqueto former pastor S. G. Hancock.Hand to Hand GospelCustom Church Christmas CardsYour Picture, Message and Verse1000 Cards and Envelopes only $.70 each!Other quantities availableticm@centurytel.netKendall Fortner417-300-004628 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

N E W SFellowship NewsWinter Haven teens minister in NicaraguaSpringfield, MORecently, Overflow Student Ministry,the high school ministry of WinterHaven Baptist Church in WinterHaven, Florida, pastored by MarkHodges, took a week and a half missiontrip to minister with MissionariesJason and Nadia Kratochvil inManagua, Nicaragua. Youth PastorNathan Braymer says the group experiencedfirsthand the hard work thatgoes into a new church plant in a foreigncountry.While in Nicaragua, the WinterHaven group spent two days paintingmurals in classrooms of the newlyrenovatedIglesia Bautista Esperanzain Managua, participating in visitationwith the church members to promotethe children’s festival, and had handsonministry experience at the festival.The children’s festival had over 100children in attendance, and the WinterHaven group participated in face painting,performing as clowns, a karatedemonstration, crafts, making balloonanimals and caricatures, and Biblelessons. “Working side by side withthe people of Nicaragua to achieve thesame goal of reaching kids was a greatexperience,” says Braymer.The group also took part in a youthevent at a local sports camp whereBraymer spoke to about 40 teens. Ofthe Kratochvils, Braymer states, “Jasonand Nadia have done an excellent jobin their first term as missionaries.They have established a church that isreaching their community for Christ,are working now to develop the manthat will be taking over that ministry,and working with another national totake with them as they start their nextchurch.”Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 29

N E W SFellowship NewsLighthouse Baptist and Bevan mark 5th yearChillicothe, OHOn May 17, Lighthouse Baptist Churchand Pastor Ryan Bevan celebrated theirfifth anniversary. They had a record attendanceof 1,018, 210 being first-timevisitors. For the occasion, the churchrented the Ohio University, Chillicothebranch, Shoemaker Center. The day consistedof a concert with the Mike LeFevreQuartet, a steak and baked potatodinner, inflatable games for the kids,and services praising God for His work.Twenty-four accepted Christ as Saviorthat day with more after follow-up visitswere made.Bevan, his wife, Sarah, and their children arrived inChillicothe to plant a new work in August of 2003. They weresent by Bible Baptist Church of Wilmington, Ohio, and PastorKelly McInerney.Lighthouse was a church plant project of the Ohio BaptistBible Fellowship. The mission began with 8 people meeting ina hotel conference center. The church was established in January2004 with 45 charter members. Since their inception, theymet in three other buildings before purchasing the presentchurch facilities with over 21,000 square feet and 15.5 acres.“What has the LORD done in the last 5 years? Averageattendance from 8 people to 425, over 2,000 saved, more than5,000 visitors, over 500 baptisms, offerings that have grownfrom $700 to over $10,000 a week, 21 monthly mission projects,lives changed, families restored, marriages saved all tothe glory of God,” says Bevan. “The Lord has made this possiblethrough the prayers and support of the Baptist Bible Fellowshipand the sending and supporting churches within theFellowship. Praise the Lord that He is still building churchestoday!”Looking for more information about theupcoming National Fellowship Meeting?www.bbficanton09.orgCHOOSINGWISELYBy Keith BasshamA guided tourthrough the majortopics of Proverbs$12.99 + s/hCall the Tribune to order(417) 831-399630 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

N E W SFellowship NewsSeminole Baptist sends team to EcuadorSpringfield, MOTwenty-six adults and student from Seminole BaptistTemple, pastored by Don Baier, went to Santo Domingo,Ecuador, June 7-14 to help BBFI missionaries Joe and SylviaWells. The group consisted of two teams: a construction teamwhich laid tile for a local church, and a drama team whichpresented a wordless drama to over 3,500 people. ChrisHighfill, Seminole’s youth pastor, said, “God went way beyondour expectations as to how He would move in Ecuador,and He blessed us with being able to see over 800 people ac-cept Jesus Christ as their Savior.” As a result of the trip, twostudents surrendered to full-time mission work. “After everyactivity I hold, I wonder if it made an impact for the cause ofChrist,” says Highfill. “I have returned with a new perspective.I truly believe that nothing can change the culture ofyour student ministry like a mission trip.”Murray retires after 42 years at Millington StreetWinfield, KSFriends, family, and church membersgathered on May 31 to honor K. B.Murray with a retirement celebration.The City of Winfield proclaimed the day“K. B. Murray Day.” At the celebration,several people whose lives had beeninfluenced by the couple gave testimony.Murray was given a notebook of letters,cards, and notes of appreciation fromaround the world and the church gavehim a number of gifts. The service wasconcluded with honoring Murray withthe title of pastor emeritus. Dan Inmanof Lincoln, Nebraska, was the guestspeaker and special music was providedby the Murray family. Jeff McCaskill,formerly an assistant to Murray, becamepastor of the church.The week before his retirement theWinfield Courier, a local newspaper,published a story about Murray and thechurch. Murray told the interviewer, “Ithas been my privilege to pastor some ofthe most wonderful people to ever walkthis earth. All I’ve tried to do is the rightthing and get the Word of God out. I’mjust a vessel used to a small extent tobring about all the glory that belongs toGod. God never promised the journeyof serving him would be easy, He justpromised it would be worth it.”K. B. Murray graduated fromBaptist Bible College in Springfield,Missouri, in 1961. His first pastoratewas at Bible Baptist Church in Stillwater,Oklahoma. He also was the pastorof Bible Baptist Church of Neodesha,Kansas, before accepting the pastorateof Millington Street Baptist Church inWinfield on September 20, 1967. Overthe past 42 years, Murray has been afaithful preacher, servant, and friend.He has led the church to strongly supportworldwide missions and BaptistBible College. In 1988, he became theNational Secretary for the Baptist BibleFellowship and served in that positionfor the next 14 years. In 2000, he wasawarded an honorary doctorate fromBaptist Bible College and LouisianaBaptist University for his lifetime ofministry.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 31

N E W SFellowship NewsMick celebrates 25 years at Bangor BaptistBangor, MEBangor Baptist Church celebratedPastor Jerry Mick’s 25th anniversaryin the ministry on April 4. Tocelebrate, the church held an openreception for members and friend.They also gave Mick and his wife,Jane, a trip to Hawaii as a gift of appreciation.Mick began as a teacher at BangorChristian Schools in 1984, aftergraduating from Baptist Bible College in 1982. He served innumerous capacities until August 1997 when he became thesenior pastor (see Tribune article “Bangor Baptist back inthe black,” January 15, 2001). Under Mick’s leadership, thechurch has grown from approximately 375 in attendanceto its current weekly attendance of 900— becoming one of the largest Baptistfellowships in Maine and the New Englandarea. The church also operatesBangor Christian Schools serving approximately300 students (accredited bythe NEACS), two Christian radio stations(WHMX 50,000 watts and WHCF100,000 watts) reaching a large part ofMaine and the Canadian Maritimes,and a Godparent home for unwed pregnantteens. The ministry is debt free and has buildings andproperties valued at $9 million. Bangor Baptist Ministries hasan annual budget exceeding $3 million and employs approximately60 people. The Sunday services are heard weekly overWHCF radio.BBC Class of 1959 holds 50th reunionSpringfield, MOOn May 13, the Classof 1959 of Baptist BibleCollege Class held their50th class reunion atBaptist Temple inSpringfield, Missouri.Photo by Tom Dye.Hand to Hand GospelCustom Church Christmas CardsYour Picture, Message and Verse1000 Cards and Envelopes only $.70 each!Other quantities availableticm@centurytel.netKendall Fortner417-300-0046Beautiful Christian, patriotic,military neckties. $15 value - cost $6Stripe neckties - Cost $4.50Humor book 500 Laughter DoethGood Like a Medicine - Cost $6Booklet:Death & How to Prepare - Cost $632 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

N E W SFellowship NewsBible Baptist’s 14th anniversary, mortgage paidWilmington, OHBible Baptist Church of Wilmingtonand Pastor Kelly McInerney celebratedtheir 14th anniversary on May 17 withthe burning of the church’s mortgage.Nearly 1,700 people attended themorning worship service held at theClinton County Fairgrounds with musicalguests Gold City.Bible Baptist paid off a 20-yearmortgage of $2 million 15 and a halfyears early, saving the congregationover $1.1 million in interest.The church is now debt free, with 32acres and buildings valued at morethan $4 million. While the church ispreparing for another building phase,leaders decided to focus on becomingdebt free in this current economy. InMay 2008, DHL announced the closingof their hub in Wilmington, layingoff nearly 8,000 people in a town of12,000. Though the church has lostsome people to job relocation andtransition, McInerney reports thatthe church is still averaging 950on Sunday mornings, and last yeargave a record $270,000 to missions.Bible Baptist Church ofWilmington began in 1995 as amission of the Ohio Baptist BibleFellowship and has planted churchesin Springfield, Chillicothe, andMarysville, Ohio, within the lasteight years. A fourth church plantis planned for early 2010.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 33

N E W SWith the LordDorothy (Mrs. Curtis) ThorpeOdessa, TXDorothy (Mrs. Curtis) Thorpe rejoined herhusband in heaven June 30, 2009. Mrs. Thorpewas born August 14, 1917, in Lima, Ohio. Becauseof her mother’s health the family movedto West Texas. She met Curtis Thorpe in 1935,and after a three months courtship they weremarried in Carlsbad, New Mexico, on August 31, 1935.They both became Christians about that time. After graduatingfrom Bible Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Thorpepastored in Fredonia, Kansas, for five years and then movedto Odessa to pastor Temple Baptist Church. (now CrossroadsFellowship) in 1947. They served there 52 years until Mr.Thorpe’s death in 1999.The couple had two sons, Jerry and Paul. Jerry succeededhis father as pastor of the church upon his retirement.Eight years ago, two years following her husband’s death, shemoved to Granbury. The Thorpes also have six grandchildrenand ten great-grandchildren.Mrs. Thorpe was a lady who served Jesus Christ and Hischurch faithfully for over 70 years. Memorial services wereheld, July 3, 2009, at Crossroads Fellowship with Frank Johnson,Terry Chapman, Griffin Jones, and Rick Blue officiating.Carl HatchFlower Mound, TXCarl Hatch, noted evangelist, passed intoglory June 14. Hatch was born February 15,1929, in Kennette, Missouri, to Luther andViola Hatch. He was the youngest of sevenchildren.Hatch served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Warera. While working for General Motors in Flint, Michigan,he was saved June 8, 1955. He immediately began workingfor the Lord while attending Midwestern Baptist College inPontiac, Michigan.Ordained into the gospel ministry September 7, 1957, heworked on the staff of Flint Baptist Temple in Flint, Michigan.In the 52 years of ministry following, he was the pastorof churches in Fresno, California, and Hialeah, Florida,founded Andrew Evangelistic Association, and had a ministryof 38 years of full-time evangelism, preaching in countlesschurches all over North America.He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruby, his children,nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Amemorial service was held June 19, 2009, at Temple BaptistChurch, Flower Mound, Texas.WHAT’SMISSINGFROM YOUR CURRICULUM?20%OFF!All new Curriculumcustomers will receive20% off their entire bill(phone orders only).Order by 9/30/20091.800.727.4440GO TO OUR WEBSITE TOwww.FindWhatsMissing.orgRBP IS 100% COMMITTED TO TEACHING THE ENTIRETY OF GOD’S WORD.MUST SPECIFYDISCOUNT CODE BBT100AT TIME OF ORDER.34 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

N E W SWith the LordRichard M. SchottAnthony, KSRichard M. Schott, veteranBBFI missionary,passed from this lifeMay 22. Schott was bornin Anthony, Kansas, toAugust A. (Gus) and AdaM. (Krus) Schott on December 29, 1927.He grew up on the family farm inrural Manchester, Oklahoma, and graduatedfrom Wakita (Oklahoma) HighSchool. He joined the U.S. Army and wasawarded for his sharp-shooting skills. Itwas during a military tour of duty thathe first went to the Philippines.On May 29, 1949, Richard andMary Slaughter were married in CentralBaptist Church, Anthony, Kansas.Saved in 1948, and surrenderingto the ministry in 1950, he graduatedfrom Baptist Bible College in Springfield,Missouri, in 1953 and served aspastor of several churches in the Statesbefore surrendering to the mission fieldin 1955.In 1956, Richard and Mary went tothe Philippines where they served forover 50 years. Richard also establisheda 4-year Bible institute to train full-timepreachers and workers to start and growchurches, resulting in many strong BibleBaptist churches that are still multiplyingtoday throughout the SouthernPhilippines.In 2006, due to declining health,Richard and Mary left the Philippinesand moved back to Anthony. For the lastseven months, their home has been theAnthony Community Care Center.Richard is survived by his wife,Mary Ellen, four children, eight grandchildren,and two brothers.Memorial services were held May26, 2009, at Central Baptist Church, Anthony,with Anselmo Ingay officiating.James R. “J.R.” FaulknerChattanooga, TNJames R. Faulkner finishedhis earthly ministryJune 10, 2009. BornJune 8, 1914, in Charlotte,North Carolina,he lived to celebrate his95th birthday.In Charlotte in the 1920s and 30s,he was a dance instructor and performer,entertaining audiences in varietyshows throughout the region. He wasemployed in advertising sales for WarnerBrothers and United Artists. Hecame to faith in Jesus Christ in 1937.Faulkner spent two years at CharlotteBible Institute, and then enrolledin Bob Jones College, then in Cleveland,Tennessee, where he met Magdalene,his wife of 65 years.After pastoring and serving withother Christian organizations and revivals,he joined the faculty of Tennes-Joseph M. BoydSchererville, WVJoseph M. Boyd, age 92,went home to be with hisLord on Monday, June1, 2009. He was born inJacksonville, Texas, onMay 5, 1917. He earnedhis Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&MUniversity. He earned many awards infootball and was inducted into the TexasA&M Hall of Fame. He was twice an All-Southwest Conference tackle and an All-American his senior year. Boyd starredon A&M’s 1939 national title team, andexcelled in both boxing and wrestling.In 1943, he felt a higher callingon his life and surrendered to the gospelministry. He attended SouthwesternBaptist Theological Seminary andsee Temple College at the invitation ofLee Roberson in 1946. In 1949, he becameassociate pastor to Roberson, andin 1952 he was named vice president ofTennessee Temple, holding that postuntil retirement in 1985.His demeanor and skill defined “thesecond man,” and his life provided anexample to thousands in the ministry.He also had a large part in the growthof Tennessee Temple as it grew from acollege to a university, and served as afounding board member of both BaptistInternational Missions and the SouthwideBaptist Fellowship.He is survived by five sons andtheir wives, 17 grandchildren, 19 greatgrandchildren,two half-brothers, andmany nieces and nephews.A memorial service was held atHighland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga,on June 15, with David Boulerand Randall Faulkner officiating.earned a Masters in Theology. Joe Boydstarted and pastored three differentchurches in Texas.In 1975, he founded the Mt. SalemRevival Campgrounds in West Union,Virginia. Boyd taught Greek and evangelismat Hyles-Anderson College in Hammond,Indiana, where he had receivedan honorary doctorate in 1976. For 62years, Boyd preached all across Americaand in many parts of the world.His wife of 62 years, Edith AliceCocke Boyd, has already passed. He issurvived by two children, grandchildren,and great grandchildren.Services were held June 12, 2009,at First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana,with Jack Schaap and JohnnyColsten officiating.Stories and testimonies from the life of Dr. John W. Rawlings are being compiledas part of his biography. Dr. John is 95 years old and still going strong. If you have a personal testimony and/or interestingstory concerning Dr. John, please contact the Rawlings family by emailing leapofaith@fuse.net or mailing to: 3350Easton Lane, Burlington, KY 41005.Thank you,Kaitlyn RawlingsBaptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 35

N E W SChurch AdsChurch ads are available to any BBFI church for $10 per issue.To place an ad call (417) 831-3996.ALABAMA• Shelton Beach Road BaptistChurch, 401 Shelton Beach Rd.,Saraland, AL 36571, 205/675-2122 PastorGary W. Shockley• Trinity Baptist Church, 1500 AirportRd., Oxford, AL 36203, 256/831-3333www.trinityoxford.org. Pastor BudGrinstead• Maranatha Baptist Church,2284 Third Ave., Dothan, AL 36301334-794-2536 Pastor Bill SchneiderALASKA• Anchorage Baptist Temple, 6401E. Northern Lights, Anchorage, AK 99504,907/333-6535, www.ancbt.org. PastorJerry PrevoARIZONA• Thomas Road Baptist Church,5735 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85031,623/247-5735. Pastor Ken AdrianCALIFORNIA• Calvary Baptist Church ofOakhurst, At the corner of Highway49 and Redbud (location only),559-641-7984. Pastor Bob Wilson• The Fundamentalist BaptistTabernacle, 1329 South Hope St., LosAngeles, CA 90015, 213/744-9999. PastorDr. R. L. Hymers, Jr. sermon manuscriptsat www.realconversion.com• Midway Baptist Church, 2460 PalmAve., San Diego, CA 92154, 619/424-7870Pastor Jim W. Baize• Tabernacle Baptist Church, 301W. Whyte Ave., Roseville, CA 95678,916/728-5500 Pastor Brad Gunter• Calvary Road Baptist Church, 319West Olive Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016,626/357-2711, www.calvaryroadbaptist.orgDr. John S. WaldripCONNECTICUT• New Testament Baptist Churchand School, 111 Ash St., East Hartford,CT 06108. 860/290-6696 Pastor MichaelStoddardDELAWARE• Southside Baptist Church, 4904S. DuPont Hwy. (US 13 So.), Dover,DE 19901, 302/697-2411 Pastor ChrisKondracki• First Baptist Church, 6062 OldShawnee Rd., Milford, DE 19963,302/422-9795 Pastor David PerdueFLORIDA• Liberty Baptist Church, 2451 DoraAve., Tavares, FL 32778, 352/343-0061Pastor Timothy J. Green• Palm Springs Drive BaptistChurch, 601 Palm Springs Dr., AltamonteSprings, FL 32701, 407/831-0950Pastor Scott Carlson• Eastland Baptist Church, 9000Lake Underhill Rd., Orlando, FL 32825,407/277-5858 Pastor Daniel Green• Tabernacle Baptist Church, 6000West Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL 32808,407/295-3086 Pastor Steve Ware• Winter Haven Baptist Church,1500 Dundee Rd., Winter Haven, FL33884, 863/294-6478 Pastor Mark D.Hodges• New Testament Baptist Church,2050 South Belcher Rd., Largo, FL 33771,727/536-0481 Pastor Matt Trill• Trinity Baptist Church, 800 HammondBlvd., Jacksonville, FL 32221,904/786-5320 Pastor Tom Messer• First Coast Baptist Church, 7587Blanding Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32244.904/777-3040 Pastor Richard Edwards• Harbor Baptist Church, 428Tomoka Ave., Ormond Beach, FL 32173,386/677-3116 Pastor Ronald L. Todd• Colonial Baptist Church, 261651st Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209,941-795-3767 Pastor R. C. Landsberger• Sonshine Baptist Church, 23105Veterans Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33954,941-625-1273 Pastor William K. Bales• First Baptist Coconut Creek,formerly Calvary Baptist Church, Ft.Lauderdale, FL. 954/422-9611Pastor Jerry Williamson• Victory Bible Baptist Church, 3906Andrew Ave., Pensacola, FL 32505-4107.850/432-6969 Sr. Pastor Robert Reierson,Co-pastor Allen Cotton• Calvary Baptist Church, 123Thunderbird Dr., Sebastian, FL 32958.772/589-5047www.calvary-baptistchurch.comPastor Clifton Cooley• New Life Baptist Church, 35000Radio Rd (at Poe St.), Leesburg, FL 34788352/728-0004newlifebaptistchurch@earthink.net• Bible Baptist Church, 820 South14th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034904/261-5457• Suncoast Baptist Church, 410 WarringtonBlvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33954(941)625-8550, Pastor Chip Kellerwww.suncoastbaptistchurch.com• Grace Bible Baptist Church, 1703Lewis Road, Leesburg, FL 34748.352-326-5738, Pastor George Mulford IIIwww.gbbconline.com• Orlando Baptist Church, 500 S.Semoran Blvd., Orlando, FL 32807.407/277-8671, Pastor David Janneywww.worldchangingchurch.comGEORGIA• Cornerstone Baptist Church, 1400Grayson Hwy., Lawrenceville, GA 30245.770/338-2677 Pastor Tim Neal• Central Fellowship Baptist Churchand Academy, 8460 Hawkinsville Rd.Hwy 247), 3 miles north of Robins Air ForceBase, Macon GA 31216. 478/781-2981www.centralfellowship.orgPastor Rodney QueenHAWAII• Lanakila Baptist Church, 94-1250Waipahu St., Waipahu, HI 96797.808/677-0731 Pastor Steven C. WygleILLINOIS• Sauk Trail Baptist Temple, 4411Sauk Trail, P.O. Box 347, Richton Park,IL 60471. 708/481-1490 Pastor BruceHumbertIOWA• Lighthouse Baptist Church1690 Elm St., Suite 175, Dubuque, IA52001, 563/584-9040, Pastor Brian Millerwww.lighthouseofdbq.orgKANSAS• Millington Street Baptist Church,1304 Millington St., Winfield, KS 67156.316/221-4700. Pastor K.B. Murray• Friendship Baptist Church2209 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67213316-263-0269, Pastor Steve DayKENTUCKY• Florence Baptist Temple, 1898Florence Pk., Burlington, KY 41005.859/586-6090 Pastor Wayne G. Cox• Oak Hill Baptist Church, 2135Oak Hill Rd., Somerset, KY 42501,606/679-8496 Pastor Harold BrownMARYLAND• Riverdale Baptist Church, 1177Largo Rd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20774,301/249-7000 Pastor Brian C. Mentzer• Crossroads Baptist Church, 10290Old Columbia Rd., Columbia, MD 21045,410/309-6590 Pastor Robert HaasMASSACHUSETTS• Temple Baptist Church540 Manley St., West Bridgewater, MA02379, 508-583-5190www.templebaptist.info Pastor Bill SmithNEBRASKA• Plains Baptist Church, 2902 RandolphSt., Lincoln, NE 68510, 402/435-4760.Pastor Raymond SmithNEW JERSEY• Open Bible Baptist Church, 2625E. Main St (RT. 49), Millville, NJ 08332.856/863-0226, Email:gardner07@comcast.netPastor Danny GardnerNEW MEXICO• High Plains Baptist Church, 2800E. 21st Street, Clovis, NM 88101-8620.505/769-1382 Pastor Charles D. MillerNORTH CAROLINA• Northside Baptist Church, 333Jeremiah Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262,704/596-4856 Pastor Dan Burrell• Mid-Way Baptist Church, 6910Fayetteville Rd., Raleigh, NC 27603.919/772-5864 Pastor James L. Upchurch• Trinity Baptist Church, 216Shelburne Rd., Asheville, NC 28806,704/254-2187 Pastor Ralph Sexton, Jr.• Central Baptist Church, 6050Plain View Hwy., Dunn, NC 28334,910/892-7914 Pastor Tom Wagoner• Berean Baptist Church & Academy517 Glensford Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28314910-868-5156, www.bbcfnc.orgPastor Sean HarrisOHIO• Bible Baptist Church, 990 W. Main,Mt. Orab, OH 45154. 937/444-2493Pastor Charles Smith• Ashland Ave. Baptist Church, P.O.Box 86, 4255 Ashland Ave., Norwood,OH 45212. 513/531-3626 Pastor JerryE. Jones• First Baptist Church, 1233 US Rt.42, Ashland, OH 44805. 419/289-3636Pastor F. R. “Butch” White• Grace Baptist Church, 3023 N.Union Rd., Middletown, OH 45044,513/423-4658 Pastor Roger D. Green• Calvary Baptist Church, 516W. Sunset Dr., Rittman, OH 44270,330/925-5506 Pastor Jerry BurtonOKLAHOMA• Temple Baptist Church, 2200E. Oklmulgee, Muskogee, OK 74403.918/687-4793 Pastor Glendon GrayOREGON• Tri-City Baptist Temple, 18025 S.E. Webster Rd., Gladstone, OR 97027.503/655-9326 Pastor Ken McCormickRHODE ISLAND• Ocean State Baptist Church, 600Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917,401/231-1980 Pastor Archie EmersonSOUTH CAROLINA• Capital City Baptist Church,2243 Percival Rd., Columbia, SC 29223,803/738-1480 Pastor Paul Monroe• Lighthouse Baptist Church, 104Berkeley Sq. Lane, PMB 250, GooseCreek, SC 29445. 843/824-6002 www.lbcgc.org Pastor Bobby Garvin36 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

Church Ads (cont)Evangelist AdsEvangelist ads are available to any evangelist listed in the FellowshipDirectory for $10 per issue. To place an ad call (417) 831-3996.TEXAS• Central Baptist Church, 2855Greenhouse Rd., Houston, TX 77084.281/492-2689 Pastor Larry Maddox• First Baptist Church of Meadowview,4346 N Galloway Ave., Mesquite,TX 75150. 214/391-7176 Pastor R.D. Wade• Liberty Baptist Church, 602 MancoRd., Lewisville, TX 75067. 972/436-3493Pastor Dick Webster• First Baptist Church, Hwy. 64, WrightCity, TX 75750, 903/839-2700 PastorRichard G. Boone• North Park Baptist Church,4401 Theiss Rd., Humble, TX 77338.281/821-2258 Pastor Tim Thompson• Berean Baptist Church, 302 N.Town East Blvd., Mesquite, TX 75182.972/226-7803 Pastor David Mills• Cypress Creek Baptist Church,21870 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX77429. 281/469-6089 Pastor Bill Campbell• Burleson Boulevard Baptist Church,315 N. Burleson Blvd., Burleson, TX76028-3907. 817/295-4342 Pastor TerryM. Williams• Temple Baptist Church, 4301 ThomasonDr., Midland, TX 79703. 432/694.3634www.tbcmidland.comPastor Stephen WillisVIRGINIA• Community Baptist Church, Chantilly,VA, Washington D.C. area. 703/968-8871.www.cbc4me.org Pastor Mike Aylestock• Faith Baptist Church, 3768 S.Amherst Hwy., Madison Heights, VA 24572,434/929-1430 Pastor Brian HudsonWEST VIRGINIA• Fellowship Baptist Church, U.S. Rt.60 E. at Huntington Mall,Barboursville, WV 25504, 304/736-8006Pastor Jerry WarrenDon Brown • Beth-Eden Bible Camp10638 Ottawa Dr., Conway, MO 65632 Springfieldoffice: 417.887.3396 Camp office: 417.589.6485 www.bethedenbiblecamp.comMarc Cheney • Straight to the Heart Ministries318 Stonehenge Road, Winchester, VA 22601. Phone: 540.327.1288www.marccheney.comRandy Carroll • Carroll Evangelistic Ministries5672 Powers St., The Colony, TX 75056. Phone: 469.384.2120 Cell: 469.964.9796Email: EvangelistRC@juno.comThomas Ray • The ReapersP.O. Box 796541, Dallas, TX 75379.Phone: 972.509.9240 www.thereapers.comRandy Hogue • Randy Hogue MinistriesPO Box 834 Cullman, AL 35056Phone: 888-464-8338 www.randyhogue.orgTracy Dartt • The Dartt QuartetP.O. Box 422, Greenbrier, TN 37073Phone: 615.643.0200 www.darttmusic.comPhilip Sawilowski • Olive Tree MinistriesPO Box 180188, Arlington, TX 76096Phone: 972.660.5117 www.olivetreeministry.org69¢ per word ($12 minimum). All ads subject to approval of the BaptistBible Tribune. Advertising in the BBT does not necessarily imply theendorsement of the publisher. To place an ad call (417) 831-3996.The Bible Rebinder Don’t Retire YourBible — Rebind It! Fifteen years’ experiencerebinding and repairing Bibles. Contact JoeGleason, 2256 E. Nora, Springfield, Missouri65803, for prices. (417) 865-3823.Elementary School Positions Open-LBS is needing 3rd, 4th, and 5th gradeteachers for school year 2009-2010. Applicantsshould have their Bachelor’s degreeand be familiar with the A-Beka curriculum.Cost of living mandates that single teachersmust be willing to apply together. Marriedcouples must both be qualified to teach andlikewise apply. All applicants must becomemembers of Lanakila Baptist Church and befaithful in attendance. Hiring decisions will becompleted by July 1, 2009. Send resumes to:Dr. Steven Wygle / Lanakila Baptist School /94-1250 Waipahu St. / Waipahu, HI 96797.Phone: (808)677-0731 or E-mail:lanakilabaptist@hotmail.com. Dr. Wygle willbe in Springfield during the month of May andwill take serious interviews.Best Home Based Business EverIt’s fun, simple and very lucrative. Call828-685-7552.Lose up to 30 lbs. in 30 days: Doctorrecommended, increase energy and endurance.Defense against disease. Money backguarantee. Toll-free: (972) 845-3435.WWW.DRARTWILSON.COM Materialsand history of Art Wilson’s 71-yr. ministry(5-time past BBFI president). A GIANT of thefaith. Worthwhile.Religious books for sale List sent emaildudley@dam.net. Evangelist Bill Dudley,1116 Lacy Dr., Lebanon, MO 65536, (417)532-2665. www.dudleyusedbooks.com.Free income tax preparation for clergyand religious workers. Federal and statereturns prepared and e-filing available.Faith-based ministry. www.ClergyTaxes.com or Clergy/Taxes@aol.com.Sermon sets/Outline booksSamples and brochure. Charles Swilling,P.O.Box 1093, Jacksonville, TX 75766(903) 683-4342; ciswilling@aol.comwww.swillingpublications.orgYou Can Teach An Old Dog NewTricks a lighthearted 25 chapters of helpfulhints for people in ministry leadership.Authored by Bob and Mary Lou Perryman.$5 (903) 429-3165, bandmperryman@verizon.net.Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ] 37

N E W SAfterWordsRare Baptist-related documents now onlineBy David FNEW ORLEANS (BP)--The Baptist Center for Theologyand Ministry at New Orleans Baptist TheologicalSeminary has launched a new exhibit withdownloadable digital copies of a series of rare theology documents.The collection of 16th- and 17th-century documents,available at baptistcenter.com, includes articles writtenby Baptists and their critics.“We want to make these rare original documentsaccessible to scholars of Baptist history and theology,wherever they are,”said Steve Lemke, theseminary’s provostwho also directs thecenter. “In addition tothe 20 manuscripts wecurrently have posted,we will be adding moredocuments in the nextfew months.”Some of theearliest pamphletsavailable onlineinclude a critique ofAnabaptists written byPhilipp Melanchthondated 1528 and asermon by Martin Luther from 1532. Also offered arenegative critiques of Baptists by Eberhardus of Colognein 1536, Robert Some in 1589 and Lucas Osiander theYounger in 1607.Most of the pamphlets for and against Baptists in thecollection were written in the 1640s by authors includingJohn Tombes, Andrew Ritor, John Etherington, RichardBarnard (Dwelphintramis), Daniel Featley, Robert Fage,William Hussey, Jasper Mayne, Friedrich Spanheim,Stephen Marshall, Thomas Bakewell and Thomas Blake.Lloyd Harsch, associate professor of church historyat NOBTS, specializes in Baptist heritage and has beendigitizing the rarest and most important pamphletsfrom a collection recently rediscovered in the seminary’sarchives.“John T. Christian, a church historian and theoriginal librarian at the NOBTS, gathered thesepamphlets during his travels, collecting documentsrelating to Baptist beliefs and origins,” Harsch said.Christian assembled hundreds of rare publicationsfrom Europe and North America. The works documentthe theological and ecclesiastical battles that wagedduring the era, including pamphlets that are for andagainst the Baptist position.Although the documents were displayed in the libraryat one point, they were packed away and forgotten in somelong-overlooked boxes. But an NOBTS library staff memberrediscovered the rare works while cleaning a storage area afew years ago.Wanting to preserve the rare pamphlets, Harschapplied digitization technology to the materials. Theresearch and technology for the digitization effort and fora subsequent project related to Baptistconfessions of faith were funded by threescholarly grants.In 2003-04, Harsch and StanNorman received a research expensegrant from the Lilly Theological ResearchProgram of the Association of TheologicalSchools titled “New Perspectives onAncient Ideas: A Critical Analysis of RareTheological Writings on Baptist Life andThought.”The funding for the digitization camethrough the 2006-07 theological scholarsgrant from the Lilly Theological ResearchProgram titled “Out of Many Fellowships,One Family of Faith: The Collection andDigitization of Baptist Confessions ofFaith,” and from an Ola Farmer Lenaz grant in 2007-08(an in-house faculty research grant) titled “Digitizing RareBaptist Historical Documents.”Although delayed by Hurricane Katrina, Harschspent more than a year studying digitization techniquesand methods at the University of North Texas in order toproduce the best electronic versions of the rare pieces.“The digitization process will preserve these rarepamphlets in a stable format and make them widelyavailable via the Internet,” Harsch said. “Some of thesemay be the only copies extant today, or one of only a fewhard-to-find copies. Once the pamphlets are online, peoplewill have access to digital copies of the actual originalwork.”In addition to adding more old pamphlets relatingto Baptists and Anabaptists, the center also intends todisplay digitized copies of key Baptist confessions of faith,another aspect of Harsch’s research.“Our goal is to make these hard-to-find originaldocuments accessible to scholars all over the world inorder to promote the study and appreciation of our Baptistheritage,” Lemke said.© Copyright 2009 Baptist Press38 Baptist Bible Tribune [ July/August 2009 ]

NEW!Children’sSEEDSOFFAITH practical tips innovative ideas focused plansHost a seminar at your church this fall!Contact your RBP Regional Manager today . . .888-588-1600, ext. 894E-mail: awilson@garbc.org888-588-1600, ext. 898E-mail: dshaw@garbc.org888-588-1600, ext. 893E-mail: tcorbett@garbc.org888-588-1600, ext. 872E-mail: rmartello@garbc.org